‘Encounter specialist’ D G Vanzara granted bail in Ishrat Jahan case

Vanzara was in prison since 2007 when he was for the first time arrested in Sohrabuddin Sheikh encounter case. The court granted him bail on the condition that he would not enter Gujarat and stay in Mumba​i​.

Also read: Gujarat’s suspended ADGP Pandey gets bail

Over the years Vanzara, who was once famous as “encounter specialist”, became the face of “fake encounters’ following new revelations.

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Vanzara was Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) when the encounter in 2004 took place. While another accused IPS P P Pandey, who was also granted bail earlier in the day, was posted as joint commissioner of police (JCP). The CBI chargesheet alleged that Vanzara and Pandey were involved in the illegal detention and murder of 19 years old Mumbai girl Ishrat Jahan, Javed Sheikh and two Pakistani nationals Zeeshan Johar and Amjadali Rana in 2004.

Also read: Vanzara-Pandey rift thaws, bonhomie brews in jail

After his arrest in Sohrabuddin Sheikh  case, Vanzara was chargesheeted in Tulsiram Prajapati encounter case by CBI in 2012 as a key accused along with the other accused. After seven years of incarceration in jail, a Bombay court granted him bail last year. However, he remained in jail in connection with the Ishrat Jahan case.

Also read: IPS officers transfer: Verma superseded, Sharma promoted

During the peak of Ishrat case investigation Vanzara kicked up a major political controversy through his letter to CBI and state government criticizing BJP president Amit Shah. In his letter, Vanzara praised the then chief minister Narendra Modi, now the prime minister, hailing Modi as his “god”.